THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, NOV. 29, 1909 THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 211, 29 November 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, NOV. 29, 1909 THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

IN Wellington jus' no v. - the legal authorities representing the two sides of the great liquor rric-stior. are preparing' with feverish haste a Parliamentary Bill dealing with the question on lines agreed upon between the parties referred to That there might be other parties affected by the Eiil is apparently a secondar}- consideration. Sufficient for the Government that the parties which make the most noisehave come to terms on certain aspects of the question, and the issue is reduced to legislation. The position is indicative, on the one hard, of the power exercised by a well organised band of extremists who make a noise ; on the other hand,of the power granted to the vested interests of monopolists who make a noise. Of the wishes of the body of the public who do not unduly advertise their opinion * there is j apparently little consideration. No j medium course has apparently yet been j discovered between the extreme views * of a somewhat narrow thniking section of the community, and the mere selfish interests of the Trade. Verily, to the moderate thinking multitude there „ must appear to be an astonishing lack of initiative among politicians, else "* how explain the anomaly of pole bending to pole, and making terms on an altogether fallacious conception of the position, without a single pointed suggestion as to a better, and more reasonable course. The conference at , which the terms were mutually arrang- j ! ed recalls the efforts of a disinterested ! community to make terms with the j representatives of the No-license party. The King Country, to its moderate tbinknig inhabitants, occupies a posi- : tion with regard to the liquor question which is inimical to the welfare of its . residents. The people are practically disfranchised, and are placed under an : obnoxious law, and restricted by irk--1 some, ani probably illegal.regulations. People unaquainted with legal technicalities have been severly punished for actions which are perfectly legal in other portions of the Dominion ; intention has been wrongfully construed on t the slenderest grounds, and reputable people have been branded as lawbreakers. To remedy such a state of things, and to obtain for themselves equal rights and liberties with their fellows throughout the Dominion without playing into the hands o( the monopolists, a conference was -ought with the No-license party. The Alliance representatives were assured that the people would be glad to have tit district declared a statutory no-licer.se-district, as if the vote for no-lieor.se had been carried, if by doing so thepeople would be given the constitutionat right to vote on the local option issues. Representatives of the Alliance, who subscribe with frenzied zeal to the principles of local option, and Dominion option, when it suits their : u - pose instead of attempting to meet cur people, who were not actuated by motives of self interest, openly flout*d their advances, and attempted to hide their narrowness under the pretext of the welfare of the Maori. The subterfuge deceived none,, and tl.e 1 roadthinking supporter? of the cause could hardly have feit preud of the attitude adopted by the i< ac.ers. The outcome of th>- conference between the Alliance ;-.v: the To Kuiti resident? mß'le plain the fact that option of any sort is me. the Alliance creed. The will of the people, which liberty, 1 The out-"m< of "he cor.f<-renco between J the Alliance and the Trad- show? clearly that !},'• Alliance can use the option j plea when cccasion demands it. Unfortunately the position in the King Country remain? the same, albeit the indication is 1 ight'-iyd by the common sense 1 and in principle we art: no nearer | with the rest of the Dominion what- | ; ever responsibilities are thereby en- c I tailed. Moreover, if we deserve equal i • '■oat.dent we shall see that we get it. i :'hc fact that the Alliance will not as- ; cist us should, in the light of recent • •vents, be a special recommendation , : to our claim. j I